Celica convertible kinda

[nate23232323]

okay so to first start off by saying this is NOT another "make my celica into a convertible" thread... so the other day i was looking at my celica top and thought it would be kinda interesting to create/fabricate a way to have the top (no sunroof) lift and slide back over the rear window creating a convertible/ t-top feel. i saw drawings of the ft-86 concept and i cant seam to find the pic anywhere. and the side pieces the run from the trunk to the hood would stay there and would have a track built in it for the roof to lift and slide back covering the rear window. just wondering if anyone here has even considered such a thing.

[nate23232323]

http://i35.tinypic.com/5c0hnd.png

kinda like this except the side pieces over the driver/passenger windows would stay

[mad.mdx]

you mean to make it like the new a5 sunroofs? I always wished it were like that but the chassis would need some reinforcement is my guess, and a very precise cut + draining hose system in order to stop water from seeping through.

If you got money it could happen :P

[nate23232323]

well my idea would include a cross brace from the two arches that go up over the windows... honestly i dnt have the skill to do this i just thought it would be bad ass. and the concept seams simple enough. just a track on each side on the insides of the arches that go back over the rear window and some sort of motor system that pulls/pushes it up and back... and the draining system for the water wouldnt be need cuzz it would just come back into place like the roof is now and hug a seal all the way around.

[WakeRider]

This was one of my future plans to turn it into a T top.... from my research you would need to reinforce the bars be it center or two outside bars (duh). The easy part would be cutting everything out and setting it up to bolt on and ect ect... the bitch would be the draining and all that... not to mention you would need a roll cage setup in the rear to reinforce the rear to prevent it from deformation.... alot of work would go into it but my inner engineer is screaming for the challenge :chuckles:

[nate23232323]

dude yea and i think an open top would be sooo amazing a one of a kind. and yea putting a cross brace in front of the roof and behind the roof should be good enough. i think like u wakerider said making it bolt on would be alot easier but think bout how badass that would be to press a button and there goes yr top slides back over the rear window opening up the whole top. if only i had 5k and a shop :D

[FrostsCelicaGTS]

So wait you want to make a top that goes back but you dont think your gonna need drains for the water? The stock sunroofs leak like a sob and the aftermarket ones are worse. Yea your gonna need a roll cage my buddy did something like this he . Needless to say the car literally split in half going down the road about to weeks later and the car was totalled. IMO by the time you do this sunroof or whatever you want to call it its worth more than the celica.

[KageRyu7]

I believe this is the image you were looking for. It's the ft-hs concept not the ft-86. It can be found on Toyota's website under their concept car section.
http://www.carsplaza.com/photos/toyota/ft-hs/toyota-ft-hs-3.jpg


You can see in image that the whole back comes down and covers the rear seat. This is so you can see out the back of the car. The way you described it the roof would slide down and cover the rear wind shield.

Now if you had a see-through roof that slid down this wouldn't be a problem and would make the whole thing that much more awesome.

I thought about doing this before when I first saw the ft-hs a few years ago but dismissed it but it would be too much money and time for ME.

Wakerider I think you should do it...then do it again to my car:thumbup:

[WakeRider]

hehehehe if you got the cash to put into it and come out to MA i have no problem taking a sawsall to the car roof =p. This will be one of the last things I do to the car however. I will put all the necessary initial work such as stress calculation and what not (gotta love programs like ANSYS) then start the prep work with the rear roll cage as well as figuring out where to run the water drains.

My goal is to make this similar to a supra and create a large enough seal that would prevent water from getting in the first place. there will be a slight lip around the edges as a just in case factor. For the most part though it will be styled similar as a T-Top with a large center brace to absorb all the stresses from the pillars.

There is plenty of other stuff for my money to be put towards at the moment such as all the engine work =p

[mad.mdx]

do it, your celica is dispendable :P

[nate23232323]

I believe this is the image you were looking for. It's the ft-hs concept not the ft-86. It can be found on Toyota's website under their concept car section.
http://www.carsplaza.com/photos/toyota/ft-hs/toyota-ft-hs-3.jpg


You can see in image that the whole back comes down and covers the rear seat. This is so you can see out the back of the car. The way you described it the roof would slide down and cover the rear wind shield.

Now if you had a see-through roof that slid down this wouldn't be a problem and would make the whole thing that much more awesome.

I thought about doing this before when I first saw the ft-hs a few years ago but dismissed it but it would be too much money and time for ME.

Wakerider I think you should do it...then do it again to my car:thumbup:

FUKIN genious! i looked for that pic for like half an hour... and yea i suppose my mind went in a different direction with the design. once again to everyone else i do not plan on doing this because i dnt have any of the proper resources. i just thought it would be a sick design and wen u think bout it it wouldnt be to hard to do... take top off weld in 2 support braces leaving an opening in between then sumhow put tracks in so it slides back motorized... and btw who needs to see out the back window anyhow :gap:... clear top would be sick tho

[themuffinman]

What do you guys think of a targa top design?

I'm a machinist, and a close friend is a welder, so fab isn't a problem.

[yodaddyguido]

you happen to have a stress engineer handy too?

[themuffinman]

Not a stress engineer particularly, but half my education consisted of metal properties. I have Solidworks to do the design process...

As for the OP, I have no clue. lol.

[yodaddyguido]

im a machinist as well, but dont have access to solidworks at the moment. ive got argon at home, but thats about it lol.

[xantonin]

Can we get a photochop of this?

[themuffinman]

of the convertible or the targa?

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/54/l_5c1f4579cf8fe2b75950e280ebfa2e07.jpg

[Gtsjeg04]

of the convertible or the targa?

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/54/l_5c1f4579cf8fe2b75950e280ebfa2e07.jpg

That looks like POO POO

[themuffinman]

That looks like POO POO

thats because the entire car looks like poo poo :gap:

[Gtsjeg04]

I would just make an elcamino out of it. That would look better and actually work.

[FrostsCelicaGTS]

If you make it like this then I will give you props
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/Frost7177/A41071_b.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/Frost7177/2000_toyota_celica_cruising_deck_co.jpg

put a a jacuzza in the the mfer. youll be fighting the ladies off you

[broderp]

of the convertible or the targa?

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/54/l_5c1f4579cf8fe2b75950e280ebfa2e07.jpg

I'm thinking T-TOPS, more so than Targa.

[Joey03_VVT-I]

Anything is possible with time and money. :thumbup:-DO IT and good luck!

:popcorn::eatpop::popcorn: